News Release
RONA HOME & GARDEN RECEIVES 2009 PASSPORT TO PROSPERITY EMPLOYER CHAMPION AWARD
Local retailer recognized for outstanding development of school-work programs
TORONTO (April 28, 2009) – RONA Home & Garden in Nepean, Ont. today received the 2009 Passport to Prosperity Employer Champion Award in recognition of its outstanding commitment to providing meaningful work experiences for local high school students.
"By providing valuable workplace experiences to high school students, these employers are helping young Ontarians make some of the most important decisions in life, including setting career goals and choosing what type of postsecondary education and training to pursue," said Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne. "School-work partnerships are critical to boosting student achievement and helping more kids graduate."
In addition to offering mentoring and job shadowing opportunities, the RONA store in Nepean also provides co-op placements so students from a variety of backgrounds can gain practical, hands on experience in the retail industry with opportunities for permanent placements within the organization. This school-work program has also pioneered a Hardware, Lumber and Building Materials Retailer apprenticeship in Ottawa for high school graduates.
“At RONA, we are committed to offering the highest quality services and products to consumers. The students who participate in our school-work programs help us deliver on this commitment by becoming an integral part of our workforce,” said Chris Wellbrock, store manager of RONA in Nepean. “We are extremely proud of the students who have chosen to lend us their enthusiasm, time and dedication.”
Now celebrating its tenth year, the Passport to Prosperity initiative continues to encourage Ontario employers to provide experiential learning opportunities for high school students. RONA is among five Ontario employers who were honoured at the 2009 Passport to Prosperity Employer Forum and Champion Awards Ceremony held at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto.
“RONA is an example of a forward-thinking leader that recognizes the value of experiential learning as an effective way to recruit, train and retain young workers,” said Tom Flanagan, co-chair of the Provincial Partnership Council.
“We applaud the dedication of the Nepean staff at RONA in helping local students develop real-life work and leadership skills through dynamic assignments that best suit their educational backgrounds and learning styles,” added Jon Hamovitch, fellow co-chair of the Provincial Partnership Council.
Today, there are 26,000 employers in Ontario participating in experiential learning programs, but more are needed. Without the commitment and dedication of employers, including the Employer Champion Award winners, high school students would have limited opportunities to explore their career options and gain valuable training as they prepare for the working world.
About Passport to Prosperity
Now celebrating its tenth year, Passport to Prosperity is a province-wide initiative led by the Provincial Partnership Council (PPC) that encourages and supports Ontario employers in providing high school students with experiential learning opportunities. The PPC works closely with the Ontario Ministry of Education; the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities; and the Ontario Business Education Partnership, representing business-education councils and local training boards across the province.
For learn more about Passport to Prosperity, please visit www. Employer Registry.ca
About RONA
RONA is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products. RONA operates a network of close to 700 franchise, affiliate and corporate stores of various sizes and formats. With close to 30,000 employees working under its family of banners in every region of Canada and more than 15 million square feet of retail space, the RONA store network generates over $6.3 billion in annual retail sales.
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For more information please contact:
Martine Mangion
Hill & Knowlton
martine.mangion@hillandknowlton.ca
Phone: 416-413-4743